Are you wondering if the person you just met is married? If you are interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with a new person or are already dating someone you don’t know very well, it’s important to know their marital status before you become too attached.
You don’t want to get involved with someone who is willfully committing bigamy. If you don’t have this important information, you might end up marrying an individual who is already legally married. Not only are bigamous marriages illegal in most states, but there are also emotional consequences attached to them.
It can be hard to accurately tell if a person is married just by looking at them, but there are tell-tale signs to look for. So, put on your detective hat, Sherlock, and use these 12 ingenious ways on how to find out if someone is married.
How To Find Out If Someone Is Married?
1. Look for the wedding ring tan line
Married people usually have tan lines on their ring fingers from wearing a wedding ring for years. The type of tan line on one’s finger can give insight into the type of lifestyle they lead. For example, those who always wear gloves and keep their hands hidden may have a thinner or more faded tan line than those who live an active outdoor lifestyle and spend time on the beach.
When you’re with someone who sports a tan line on the finger where a wedding ring used to be, it’s highly likely that the person is married or was married at some point.
Of course, you can’t conclude with absolute certainty about the marital status of the person, unless you ask. However, the fact that a wedding ring line exists is a huge red flag.
You can tell if a person is married by checking their social media accounts and what activities they are doing. For instance, in Facebook, you can check the person’s relationship status. Because there is a timeline, you can immediately see if the person has recently become single or gotten married.
Moreover, it’s easy to find out if someone is married because they often post photos of their spouse and children on social media. Look for posts displaying wedding rings, marriage proposals, honeymoon pictures, and other aspects of married life. When looking at their social media, you can tell whether or not this person is in a committed relationship.
If you are not connected on social media, do an online search and see if their name comes up on any websites or other online platforms. If nothing comes up, you should be suspicious because it could mean that the person is hiding something or leading a double life.
3. Look for clues in the stories they tell
One way to know if a person is married is to look for inconsistencies in their stories. It is important to know if a person is lying because it can affect the way they tell their story. A person who tells two different versions of an event may be trying to deceive, and it can be difficult to know which one is the truth.
To determine if someone is lying, being deceitful, or hiding something, you must listen closely to their stories and observe their body language when they do so. Usually, a person will give different versions of a story. Sometimes, they even contradict themselves. If you’re able to catch them in some of those contradictions, then the chances are that the person is telling a lie and hiding the true status of their relationship.
It takes skills to catch them in a lie, but liars often contradict themselves or don’t give you the full story when answering your questions, while people who are telling the truth will try to provide as much detail as possible.
4. Observe the person’s body language
There are many ways to tell if someone is lying about their relationship status, but body language is a powerful form of communication. People tend to subconsciously communicate with their bodies through both verbal and non-verbal cues.
People are often unaware of their physical cues when they are lying about their marital status. Signs to look for include, but are not limited to, an individual’s body language. They may be biting their bottom lip or fiddling with the collar of their shirt. Be aware that these cues may vary depending on the situation.
Some people believe that body language is a way of interpreting what someone is thinking. A person’s face, voice tone, and thoughts are often the first signs to give away whether someone is lying or telling the truth.
Because of the complexity of human body language, it is hard to determine if someone is being honest about their marital status. For example, a person could say they are single and not married; but their closed-off posture and lack of eye contact with those around them would provide clues as to the truth.
Other hints as to whether someone is lying can be gleaned from watching how they move their hands or feet, what type of eye contact they make, and whether they’re leaning away from you.
Here are some examples of body language to look for when you suspect someone is lying about their marital status.
- They won’t make eye contact with you and appear uneasy during the conversation. They may be looking down at their hands and shifting around in their seat.
- They may also have a guilty look on their face or become nervous when the topic is brought up.
Body language can be a helpful tool to detect when someone may be lying in a personal, professional, or social setting. There is no one universal signifier of deception and the individual’s reaction to questioning will vary depending on many factors, such as how comfortable they are with their lie and how big of a mistake they believe it is. And If you are dealing with a serial cheater or a professional liar, then it becomes more difficult to squeeze the truth.
5. Keep an eye out for Suspicious Dating Habits
Paying in Cash on Dates
Do you find yourself going out on dates where the person only pays with cash? Why not use a debit card or credit card? Believe it or not, it may be a sign your date is married. Using cash instead of a credit card all the time is a red flag because it can mean that the person may have a spouse and doesn’t want them to see the charges on the credit card or debit card statement.
Moreover, your date may be hiding some financial secrets, like having a bad credit score. In any case, it should send alarm bells ringing.
Behaving in a secretive manner
People who are hiding their relationship status will be very cautious about phone calls and text messages. Their unusual phone habits and behavior can reveal a lot about them. For instance, when you’re on a date and he is receiving a lot of phone calls that he never answers, it should be a cause for concern. More so if he keeps the screen away from your prying eyes and acts nervous.
6. Be wary when dates are scheduled and infrequent
If you never have a spontaneous date or you only go out on a specific day and time and they’re always in a rush to get home, this can be an indicator that you’re dating a married person. After all, he needs to get to his wife and kids and still have enough rest to get to work the next day.
If the person is unwilling or unable to meet up with you late at night, on weekends, or on special occasions, you have every right to be suspicious. More so, if the dates are infrequent and far between.
This may also apply to your married friends and colleagues who always take a rain check when you invite them out for dinner or drinks. They’re too busy taking care of their families that they simply don’t have the time and energy to go out with you.
7. Watch out for suspicious behavior on dating apps
Dating apps are a great way to meet new people and potentially even find love, but it can be frustrating when you realize that the person you’ve been chatting with for weeks is married.
It’s not unheard of for people on dating apps to be married or in committed relationships. Some of them are just looking for a hook-up, one-night stand, or a no strings attached relationship. So, if you’ve met a person on a dating app, you should be careful and keep your guard up at all times. This is because there’s always the possibility that a person is married and is just looking for an extramarital affair.
If you’re using a dating app to meet a potential partner, here are some signs to watch out for:
Blurry photo on profile
It is not uncommon for a person to have a blurred photo on their dating app profile. In many cases, this was done purposefully to avoid detection by the person’s spouse. It has been found that blurry photos on a profile may be an indicator of deceitful intentions. The person may be in a committed relationship with someone else and doesn’t want to be found out.
Secretive about personal life
Dating apps revolve around conversations. The back-and-forth chats are a way to get to know someone before finally meeting in person. But when the individual you are interested in holds back on giving basic information like where he lives or where he works, you should leave the chat before you get into deep.
No social media information
In this day and age, it would be unusual not to have at least one social media account. It has become the modern-day calling card. More often than not, people exchange social media info so that they can keep in touch and get to know one another. Having no social media links in the profile gives you a reason to be suspicious about the person. It’s highly possible they have something they don’t want you to know or someone they don’t want you to see—like a spouse.
Always does a disappearing act
If you use a dating app, you may have had a frustrating experience with someone who always disappears for days or weeks at a time (especially on weekend). It could be due to any reason, but it wouldn’t be farfetched to think that the person is spending time with the spouse and couldn’t find the time to talk or see you. If this is the case, it’s safe to assume that your relationship is doomed to fail from the start
Lives with a “roommate”
There are ways to say you’re married without explicitly saying you’re married. Using words like roommate or best friend can be a code for a partner. It’s genius because when they say that they live with someone, they’re technically not lying. But you have to be suspicious when they are too vague about the identity of the roomie. If they make excuses for you not to meet, then you know they are more than friends.
9. Obtain access to marriage records
It’s common knowledge that in the United States, marriage records are public information and can be accessed by anyone. But what is less well known is that some states limit what information can be released to the public. For example, in California, a person may not obtain a copy of a marriage license unless it has been 10 years since the date of issuance or if he or she can provide evidence of direct and tangible interest.
If you want to know with certainty if the person you are dating is married, search for a marriage certificate. Because it’s available to the public, you can access the list of people who are married or divorced. The Freedom of Information Act, which was passed in 1966, established the right for any American citizen to request any public record from a government agency, including name and the date of marriage. The only exemption is confidential information gathered by courts for child custody cases, adoption proceedings, paternity suits, divorce hearings, guardianship orders, wills, estates and trusts.
Marriage records can be accessed through a variety of governmental organizations. They often contain information about the date and place of marriage and may also include the names of the bride and groom’s parents, their ages, occupations, and residences at the time they were married.
It’s important to note that in the United States, every state has its own rules and procedures for releasing marriage records. For example, in the state of Ohio, marriage and divorce records are kept by the probate courts of each county. The Ohio Department of Health maintains a state-wide record of marriage abstracts, which you can request in writing only if you know the names of the bride and groom.
In Texas, marriage records are public information and can be accessed through the county clerk’s office. However, public records may be sealed by virtue of a court ruling or upon request of the registrants. Alternatively, you can retrieve information from the Marriage License Index maintained by the Texas Department of State Health Services.
In the state of California, there is a thing called “confidential marriage”. It’s not created or solemnized before the law, but it is recognized by the couple, their family, and friends. It doesn’t require approval from an external entity like the government and no witnesses are required to be present at the ceremony nor sign on the marriage license.
A county clerk has the authority to issue a confidential marriage license and grant a confidential marriage certificate. However, marriage records under this arrangement are not for public inspection, unless ordered by the court. In this case, you will not be able to access records pertaining to a person’s marriage information. Even if you request for them, copies of confidential marriage certificates are not available from the state office.
Many bigamists, serial cheaters, and sketchy people use confidential marriage licenses to avoid detection. So, if you’re dating one, it might be a little bit more difficult to ascertain their marital status, and you might be better off hiring a professional to do the job.
10. Carry out an Internet search
If, for some reason, you are unable to access marriage records, don’t give up! There are other public records you can access. For example, mortgage records often show whether a property is being listed as a joint or individual property. Tax records often show information about the spousal income and any exemptions for children or other dependents.
This information can be found by carrying out a simple Internet search. These are not always easy to find, but with some digging, it may be possible to find some clues that can provide glimpses into a person’s life—past or present.
Alternatively, to find the truth, many people turn to genealogy records to find a spousal connection. A genealogy search is a useful tool for finding people who are married. Many genealogy databases have information about spouses, which can help you find out family history. Some databases may list the spouse’s name, date of marriage, date of death, or children’s names. With a deeper search, you can research how many marriages an individual has had, whether the first spouse died, and if so, what year it occurred.
Combined with the information that you have gathered from social media sites, your search efforts can pay off because you can find clues to find someone who may be connected to the person you are dating.
There are plenty of online databases, libraries, and archives that you can use for genealogy research, both free and paid services.
11. Use People Search tools to conduct a background check
If an internet check is not giving you the results that you want, you can do a thorough background check using online search tools. This involves finding information about a person which can range from searching for someone’s phone number to finding out more about their criminal background. People search tools allow you to find and collect information on people that might not be available elsewhere.
Information that you can get from social media profiles or professional networking sites barely scratches the surface. If you want a comprehensive background info about anyone, use people search tools like TrustFinder.com and BeenVerified.com.
Think of these sites as people search engines where you can find data based on the name and physical location. It’s also possible to include other criteria in your search, such as occupations, keywords in their profile, and the social media networks they post on. This is especially useful if you want to know the marital status of a person.
TruthFinder.com
TruthFinder.com is a site the compiles public records in order to make them readily available to the public. They offer millions of records for people to search for their last known address, criminal background, marital status, scam reports, civil judgment, sex offender registry listings, and mugshots. In addition to the search function, it also offers information about the people you’re searching for, such as their phone number, social media, address, sources of income, and property.
This online tool has compiled data from county courthouses across the United States, state departments of motor vehicles, federal courts, and other sources in order to provide the most accurate information possible.
BeenVerified.com
Ever wonder what that person you’re dating is hiding? BeenVerified.com specializes in this kind of service. It’s an online people finder that analyzes public records and various social networking sites to find information about people and then creates reports for you based on what it finds.
If you’re wondering if someone you’ve met is who they claim to be, all you need to do is enter their name and email address and the site will do the rest to collect information without any other personal information required. By knowing who someone really is and their real marital status, you can take all the necessary precautions in order to avoid landing yourself in a situation where you could become victimized by a serial cheater.
12. Hire a Private Investigator
When you want to find out if someone is married, the best thing to do is hire a private investigator who specializes in background checks. He can research a person’s past relationships and check for any nefarious details that might suggest an individual is not who they say they are. This ensures that you can get all of the proof you need to know for sure.
Private investigators use a variety of techniques and resources to find out if a person is married. One such technique is to research the subject’s social media profiles, which often display information about marital status. Another way is to run a background check on the subject, which might indicate whether the person has been divorced or widowed. Private investigators also rely on their personal networks and access to public records and online databases.
Many people are increasingly using detective agencies to find out if the person they are dating is married. The reasons for this service can vary but usually include jilted spouses, suspicious partners, and divorce proceedings. However, some experts warn against these services because it may violate privacy laws.
In today’s society, it is important to be cautious when it comes to potential partners to save yourself from future conflicts and emotional pain. Make this as your last resort if all other options fail.
Final Thoughts
One could argue that you don’t have to jump through hoops just to find out if someone you’re interested is married. You can simply ask them. But the social stigma of asking about marriage makes it difficult for some people to ask such a straightforward question.
Fortunately, there are ways to find out if someone is married. This is an important piece of information that you need to know about your partner, especially if you’re getting serious in the relationship.
Even if you think you know the person well, it’s crucial to know if they are married. When you’re dating someone who’s living under a cloud of secrecy, sooner or later, you’ll end up at the center of a complicated situation. You can be unwittingly involved in bigamy and get involved in a messy legal battle. Moreover, you may become a victim of immigration fraud or a romance scam.
If your partner is married to someone else and isn’t honest about it, you are putting yourself at risk. So, when you sense suspicious behavior, don’t waste time. Do everything necessary to find out the truth about your partner’s true marital status by doing one or a combination of the different ways to find out if someone is married. Knowing this one crucial piece of information can help protect you against fraud, scams, and heartaches.